


Windows

by sanctuary_for_all



Category: Justified
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, They were my favorite part of this show
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:15:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29525580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: Tim had spent his entire life staring at the windows of other people’s houses, wondering if there was as much shit going on inside as there was at his house. (AU where Tim and Rachel are secretly together for most of the series.)
Relationships: Rachel Brooks/Tim Gutterson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Windows

**Author's Note:**

> Pulled from the depths of my hard drive.

Tim sat in the car, staring at the light shining out of the house’s windows. He’d spent his entire life staring at the windows of other people’s houses, wondering if there was as much shit going on inside as there was at his house. It wouldn’t have made any difference, of course, but maybe he could have punched out someone _else’s_ dad.

He didn’t let himself imagine that there were any windows out there where the light wasn’t lying. Even if there had been, they sure as hell weren’t going to let him inside.

Eventually, the front door opened, an entire rectangle of light silhouetting the figure of a woman. She headed down to the car, and the corners of Tim’s mouth snuck upward as he rolled down the driver’s side window.

Rachel leaned forward, hands braced against the window’s bottom edge. Just like always, the sight of her made his chest clench. “You planning on staying out here all night?”

“Thinkin’ too hard.” He rested his hand on top of one of hers, thumb lightly caressing the ridges of her knuckles. They were careful never to touch each other at work, or almost never, and somehow it made every time they _did_ touch each other feel like something precious. “Thought I’d better take care of it before you kicked me on home.”

Rachel’s expression softened. “If I was going to kick you out for brooding, I would have done it long before now.” Then her eyebrow lifted. “You are late, though.”

Tim leaned back against the car seat, letting the tiredness out. In the old days, tonight would have been the perfect time to get friendly with anything the bartender was willing to keep giving him. But there was no contest between alcohol and Rachel. She won, every time. “Raylan’s gettin’ himself into another shitstorm.”

Rachel sighed, shaking her head. “Of course he is. Is he dragging you into it?”

“He had been. I cut bait before it got too deep.” He closed his eyes a moment with a groan. “I’m probably gonna have to buy Kelly another bottle of Scotch, though.”

“Your friend who works for the FBI?” When he nodded, she grinned that sunlight grin only he and her family ever seemed to see. “Next time she and her girlfriend come out this way, remind me to invite them over for dinner.”

He smiled back. It wasn't much, compared to hers, but it was a hell of a lot bigger than he managed for anyone else. “That might be enough to do it, even without the Scotch.”

She leaned forward, like she was about to poke her head through the window, then he heard the click of the latch and she pulled back as she swung the door open. “Brood inside. It’s getting cold out here.”

Tim obediently got out of the truck, and she stretched upward to catch his mouth in a quick, fuse-frying kiss before taking his hand and tugging him forward. He reached a hand back to swing the door shut, then happily followed her up toward the house.

As then went inside, he took one last look at the outside of the house. Some light, it turned out, held more than his younger self could have ever imagined. “Have I ever told you how much I love your windows?”

Rachel looked at him over her shoulder, brow furrowed. “You are a very strange man, Tim Gutterson.”

He smiled again, chest warm as he closed the door behind him. “Just so long as you keep letting me in.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my [original fiction,](https://jennifferwardell.wixsite.com/mybooks) my [blog,](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


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